Attorney
Daniel L. Silfani Partner
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- Biography
As an experienced corporate attorney serving as Chair of the Business Transactions & Corporate Counseling Practice Group, Dan has a broad range of expertise on all aspects of corporate law, franchise and business opportunity law. This includes franchise development and operations, mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures and general corporate counseling.
FRANCHISE DEVELOPMENT
Dan works with Franchisors and Franchisees to determine if their company can be turned into a successful franchise system. His practice focuses on the entire process from preparing the necessary franchise disclosure and system documents, registrations with applicable governmental agencies, vendor and supply chain, quality control programs and how to successfully sell franchise units. Dan also assists franchisors with revenue growth and unit count by providing a full array of business and legal advice.
PUBLIC FINANCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Dan acts as issuer's counsel, underwriter's counsel or bond counsel in completing various public finance matters, including taxable and tax-exempt conduit bond transactions, state economic development loan programs and local tax increment financing. In addition, he acts as outside General Counsel for the Development Finance Authority of Summit County.
CORPORATE COUNSELING
In his role as a corporate attorney, Dan assists owners and executives of closely held businesses resolve their day-to-day legal issues, successfully buy and sell companies and develop effective succession plans. He works with clients in a wide range of industries, including chemicals, manufacturing, oil and gas, and various service industries.
- Professional & Civic Activities
- American Bar Association, Franchising Law and Tax Law Sections, Member
- Ohio State Bar Association, Estate Planning, Probate and Trusts and Real Property Law Sections, Member
- Tax & Estate Planning Council of Akron, Member, 2005-2007
- Akron Bar Association, Finance Committee, Business and Corporate Law Committee and Probate Section, Former Member
- Akron Bar Association, Member
- Articles & Presentations
- “The Defense Production Act - Incentivizing Production in the Private Sector,” Co-Author Brian D. Merklin, Corporate Counseling, Brouse McDowell Client Alert (March 23, 2020)
- “5 Tips for Small Business Owners to Protect Their Financial Health From COVID-19,” Co-Author Edward Smith, Shelby Ranier, and Elizabeth Yeargin, Business Transactions & Corporate Counseling, Brouse McDowell Client Alert (March 16, 2020)
- "Beyond ports and rails: How port authorities can finance development projects," Smart Business, Akron/Canton (May 1, 2019)
- Brouse McDowell Business Minutes - Steps to create a Franchise (March 4, 2016)
- "The franchise model - What you need to know to become a strong franchisor," Smart Business News Magazine (January 2016)
- The Impact of Code SEC.409A on Non-Qualified Deferred Compensation Plans under The American Jobs Creation Act of 2004
- The Effect of the American Jobs Creation Act of 2004 on Individuals and Businesses
- Overview of Tax Changes in the 2004 Working Families Act
- Representative Engagements
- Directed and closed on sale of closely held hydraulic re-manufacturer of automobile and off-road steering systems to publicly traded company at a sales price in excess of $28 million
- Assisted in forming and closed on acquisition of chemical plastics seller by publicly traded company at a sales price in excess of $50 million
- Worked on and completed complex succession plan for closely held oil and gas client with mineral interests in excess of $100 million
- Represented several clients in connection with commercial real estate transactions involving exchanges of real property with like-kind property in compliance with Internal Revenue Code §1031 and environmental assessment and remediation
- Represented numerous clients in connection with non-profit entity formation and application process for determination of tax-exempt status before the Internal Revenue Service
- Represented client in connection with the acquisition(s) of several insurance agencies by holding company and related tax planning
- Franchisor counsel to local food service company with system wide annual sales exceeding $20.0 million
- Bond Counsel, Underwriter Counsel and Issuer Counsel for numerous taxable and tax-exempt lease revenue bonds issued through the Development Finance Authority of Summit County and other governmental agencies
- Distinctions
- The Best Lawyers in America© through a peer-review survey as listed in Real Estate Law section — 2024
- The Best Lawyers in America© through a peer-review survey as listed in the Business Organizations (Including LLCs and Partnerships) section — 2017-2024
- The Best Lawyers in America© through a peer-review survey as listed in the Corporate Law section — 2016, 2024
- Rising Star through a peer- and achievement-based review conducted by the research team at Super Lawyers, a service of Thomson Reuters legal division — 2007, 2009
